Thanksgiving DUI Enforcement in Jacksonville Increased, So Beware

When you think of Thanksgiving, you probably think of turkey, all the sides, perhaps football and time with family or just down time from work.

You should also think of an increase in law enforcement patrols. Jacksonville is in a unique geographical location because two major interstates run through it. People traveling north and south on Interstate 95, the major north-south corridor from New England to Florida, could pass through Jacksonville. Those traveling east to west along the Gulf coast use Interstate 10, which runs from Los Angeles to Jacksonville.
What this means for Jacksonville residents and those traveling from out of town is that police will be out on these highways as well as local roads in search of drunk drivers. Picking up a Jacksonville DUI charge will not only ruin your holidays, but possibly your career.

Few employers are forgiving when a worker picks up a criminal charge. While DUI is perhaps considered less serious than other charges, the stigma of such an arrest can lead to serious damage to one’s reputation. That doesn’t include the possible penalties.

An experienced Jacksonville DUI defense lawyer knows that lawmakers have done their best to curtail this behavior simply by adding to the penalties a person can face. If convicted of DUI in Jacksonville, a suspect can face jail time, probation, fines and fees, a mandatory DUI school class as well as possibly having to install and pay for an ignition interlock device.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that motor vehicle group AAA estimates that about 42.5 million people will be traveling the week of Thanksgiving, a four percent hike from last year. Despite higher gas prices — up 50 cents, on average, from last year, — people are expected to travel more.

AAA officials say that the Thanksgiving holiday will show an increase in travel from 2010, while other holidays, such as Memorial Day and Labor Day showed a drop. The economy has been to blame for lower travel this year.

And with all the vehicles on the road, law enforcement will be stepping up patrols. The Florida Highway Patrol announced last year that they issued nearly 13,000 citations between November 24 and 28 as troopers statewide were on the hunt for erratic drivers.

In the same time period, troopers made 121 DUI arrests statewide. Another 4,921 drivers were cited for speeding and 1,407 for not wearing a seat belt.

Those numbers don’t include local law enforcement, who stayed off the highways, but patrolled local streets and sought to pick up a little extra revenue for their cities and counties by ticketing drivers. This Thanksgiving holiday season, drive safely and if you’re impaired, don’t drive. If you are arrested, call our firm so we can help.

The Forbess Law Firm has been aiding clients who face criminal charges in Jacksonville for more than a decade and is here to provide aggressive criminal defense to anyone accused of a crime. If you or a loved one requires a Jacksonville criminal defense lawyer, contact our firm today. We are available through our website or by calling us at 904-634-0900.